Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[Taiko Audio]

Like many of us ….
this is just being impatient In waiting for that to happen
I was thinking to fly over and help Taiko Team but unfortunate this wont help getting it faster in my system.

Unfortunately in this particular situation it’s indeed not a shortage in manpower causing the delays.

 

[Malcng]

Hello, this is my first post on this forum - I am not generally a forum poster, so go easy on me.

I ordered an Extreme 12 weeks ago and am very keenly awaiting it’s arrival. It has been built and is on its way, but nothing is straightforward with shipping these days. I was very lucky to have one to audition at home for about a month and, having got used to having it, going without is very hard. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, I hope.

Having re-jigged my rack, I am going to need a longer (1.5m) USB cable. Is there any consensus now as to which ones pair well with the Extreme USB card, or is it also DAC dependent? I noted that Emile recommended Intona Ultimate at one point, but then seemed to withdraw/qualify that. The reason I’ll need a longer cable is that I have accepted the logic of placing the Extreme on one of two bottom shelves in my system and that actually suits me better as well now, apart from having to purchase a new USB cable. I have noticed though that some people have it on a top shelf, which is what I used to do. Does it make much difference regarding noise/sound quality?

Hope you don’t mind all the questions, but I am keen and eager to get back the best sound that I have ever had in my home.

Edit - looks like it is arriving Monday.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

Hey @Malcng nice job on the Extreme! I'm sure you'll get different opinions, but IMO the location has a lot to do with the weight of the Extreme and the solidity of your rack, re: safety, vibration, etc.

I have my Extreme on a Daiza platform on the floor. Sounds great.

I expect you will get various opinions on the USB too. FWIW I use the Shunyata Omega (into MSB Ref dac), and like it.

Other/cheaper/basic USB cables also sounded great, but I preferred the Omega when demo-ed, sadly! Hopefully, they'll get you that package soon!

 

[Tubeman66]

For those who missed it on the WBF home / video page:

simply excellent video

 

[Taiko Audio]

Hello, this is my first post on this forum - I am not generally a forum poster, so go easy on me.

I ordered an Extreme 12 weeks ago and am very keenly awaiting it’s arrival. It has been built and is on its way, but nothing is straightforward with shipping these days. I was very lucky to have one to audition at home for about a month and, having got used to having it, going without is very hard. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, I hope.

Having re-jigged my rack, I am going to need a longer (1.5m) USB cable. Is there any consensus now as to which ones pair well with the Extreme USB card, or is it also DAC dependent? I noted that Emile recommended Intona Ultimate at one point, but then seemed to withdraw/qualify that. The reason I’ll need a longer cable is that I have accepted the logic of placing the Extreme on one of two bottom shelves in my system and that actually suits me better as well now, apart from having to purchase a new USB cable. I have noticed though that some people have it on a top shelf, which is what I used to do. Does it make much difference?

Also, am I right in thinking that when you first switch on an Extreme, it powers up as a Roon server and I just need to login to Roon to get going?

Hope you don’t mind all the questions, but I am keen and eager to get back the best sound that I have ever had in my home.

This week’s shipments contains all Extremes on order in the UK so yours is on its way!

Yes I do still use the Intona Ultimate at a 1.5 meter length. It is still the most neutral cable I have heard making it a very valuable tool for me. There are many other options now which are often preferred over “dead on neutrality”, naturally personal preference comes into play here aswell, and I think there’s no such thing as a neutral system to start with. Board sponsors Sablon and FTA are popular picks for example and, imho, very reasonably priced.

 

[Malcng]

This week’s shipments contains all Extremes on order in the UK so yours is on its way!

Yes I do still use the Intona Ultimate at a 1.5 meter length. It is still the most neutral cable I have heard making it a very valuable tool for me. There are many other options now which are often preferred over “dead on neutrality”, naturally personal preference comes into play here aswell, and I think there’s no such thing as a neutral system to start with. Board sponsors Sablon and FTA are popular picks for example and, imho, very reasonably priced.

Thank you for the response. I believe mine has already shipped and is wending it’s way to me and I can’t wait to hear it again. I have spent years trying to get my streaming and file playback to sound as good as CD and I did manage to just pip CD for local files but not quite for streaming from Qobuz. When I had the demo Extreme in house, it was head and shoulders ahead of CD for local files and, quite surprisingly, Qobuz was not far behind local files at all. A very marginal difference and definitely ahead of CD for the first time. Qobuz quality really was quite a surprise to me.

The AD has very kindly lent me a little NUC to use as Roon server whilst I wait for my Extreme to land and whilst I can admire the form factor, the sound quality lags behind CD playback. So I sit and wait in keen anticipation.

 

[jelt2359]

I use the TQ USB Silver Diamond. Not a choice I've seen mentioned a lot but for it's price it's really quite good.

 

[romaz]

Thank you for the response. I believe mine has already shipped and is wending it’s way to me and I can’t wait to hear it again. I have spent years trying to get my streaming and file playback to sound as good as CD and I did manage to just pip CD for local files but not quite for streaming from Qobuz. When I had the demo Extreme in house, it was head and shoulders ahead of CD for local files and, quite surprisingly, Qobuz was not far behind local files at all. A very marginal difference and definitely ahead of CD for the first time. Qobuz quality really was quite a surprise to me.

The AD has very kindly lent me a little NUC to use as Roon server whilst I wait for my Extreme to land and whilst I can admire the form factor, the sound quality lags behind CD playback. So I sit and wait in keen anticipation.

Welcome aboard, Malc. Finding the perfect USB cable is like searching for the perfect car. Performance matters but ultimately, it comes down to personal taste and the decision shouldn't be rushed. Since your Extreme is en route, stick with the USB cable you were using for your Statement. I'm sure you will be pleased. I think you will find that even a £10 generic USB cable that conforms to USB 2.0 spec will provide reliable and acceptably good sound. With that said, I have the Sablon Evo, Shunyata Omega, and Intona Ultimate here and they each have something very positive to offer although my personal preference is for the Sablon. Being from the U.K., you should be able to access one for audition easily.

 

[Malcng]

Welcome aboard, Malc. Finding the perfect USB cable is like searching for the perfect car. Performance matters but ultimately, it comes down to personal taste and the decision shouldn't be rushed. Since your Extreme is en route, stick with the USB cable you were using for your Statement. I'm sure you will be pleased. I think you will find that even a £10 generic USB cable that conforms to USB 2.0 spec will provide reliable and acceptably good sound. With that said, I have the Sablon Evo, Shunyata Omega, and Intona Ultimate here and they each have something very positive to offer although my personal preference is for the Sablon. Being from the U.K., you should be able to access one for audition easily.

Hi Roy, nice to hear from you. You’ve tried a few then by the sound of it, that is most unlike you.

I’ll contact you directly rather than clutter this thread. I sorted my spam filter btw.

 

[oldmustang]

Welcome aboard, Malc. Finding the perfect USB cable is like searching for the perfect car. Performance matters but ultimately, it comes down to personal taste and the decision shouldn't be rushed. Since your Extreme is en route, stick with the USB cable you were using for your Statement. I'm sure you will be pleased. I think you will find that even a £10 generic USB cable that conforms to USB 2.0 spec will provide reliable and acceptably good sound. With that said, I have the Sablon Evo, Shunyata Omega, and Intona Ultimate here and they each have something very positive to offer although my personal preference is for the Sablon. Being from the U.K., you should be able to access one for audition easily.

As Roy says, ultimately a matter of preference and system synergy. I had both Sablon and Shunyata Omega; in my case I prefer the Omega. But only you can tell which you will prefer.

Good luck!

Steve Z

 

[Christiaan Punter]

Hello, this is my first post on this forum - I am not generally a forum poster, so go easy on me.

I ordered an Extreme 12 weeks ago and am very keenly awaiting it’s arrival. It has been built and is on its way, but nothing is straightforward with shipping these days. I was very lucky to have one to audition at home for about a month and, having got used to having it, going without is very hard. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, I hope.

Having re-jigged my rack, I am going to need a longer (1.5m) USB cable. Is there any consensus now as to which ones pair well with the Extreme USB card, or is it also DAC dependent? I noted that Emile recommended Intona Ultimate at one point, but then seemed to withdraw/qualify that. The reason I’ll need a longer cable is that I have accepted the logic of placing the Extreme on one of two bottom shelves in my system and that actually suits me better as well now, apart from having to purchase a new USB cable. I have noticed though that some people have it on a top shelf, which is what I used to do. Does it make much difference regarding noise/sound quality?

Hope you don’t mind all the questions, but I am keen and eager to get back the best sound that I have ever had in my home.

Edit - looks like it is arriving Monday.

Hi Malcng, regarding server placement from a mechanical perspective, as mentioned earlier by someone else, it is a relative matter that involves the construction and overall sturdiness of the rack. In general, though, with straight racks (ie not suspended racks such as Stillpoints, or racks suspended within a rack such as with Artesania), the top level tends to prvide the most free-flowing, and arguably most lyrical sound, while the bottom level tends to provide the tightest bass and uttermost control, which can arguably lead to a more stilted delivery with less flow than ideal. But YMMV and in the end, it is always best just to try.

From an electrical perspective, I don't believe there to be a worthwhile difference between low and high placement in terms of susceptibility to noise but maybe there are people who have other experiences in this field. In any event, here, too, it may reward to experiment.

 

[Malcng]

Hi Malcng, regarding server placement from a mechanical perspective, as mentioned earlier by someone else, it is a relative matter that involves the construction and overall sturdiness of the rack. In general, though, with straight racks (ie not suspended racks such as Stillpoints, or racks suspended within a rack such as with Artesania), the top level tends to prvide the most free-flowing, and arguably most lyrical sound, while the bottom level tends to provide the tightest bass and uttermost control, which can arguably lead to a more stilted delivery with less flow than ideal. But YMMV and in the end, it is always best just to try.

From an electrical perspective, I don't believe there to be a worthwhile difference between low and high placement in terms of susceptibility to noise but maybe there are people who have other experiences in this field. In any event, here, too, it may reward to experiment.

Interesting, thanks. I thought the main point was to minimise electrical noise but, as you say, best to suck it and see. I had the demo Extreme on a top shelf but have reorganised my rack and intend to put mine on a bottom shelf when it arrives and see what comes of that.

 

[Christiaan Punter]

Interesting, thanks. I thought the main point was to minimise electrical noise but, as you say, best to suck it and see. I had the demo Extreme on a top shelf but have reorganised my rack and intend to put mine on a bottom shelf when it arrives and see what cones of that.

Noise and mechanical coupling/decoupling are what I would call the two main areas in which we can tweak to our heart's content

Minimizing noise is indeed very important, paradoxically also in the digital domain, and this is what the Extreme is designed to address internally, whether placed low or high on a rack. There are many external aspects in this field that can be addressed if one wants to dive all the way in and this thread goes well into detail on that, but please don't worry about that just yet as this is not required to enjoy the server as intended.

I hope you get your server soon!

 

[Malcng]

As Roy says, ultimately a matter of preference and system synergy. I had both Sablon and Shunyata Omega; in my case I prefer the Omega. But only you can tell which you will prefer.

Good luck!

Steve Z

I have 3 USB cables with one particular favourite, but they are all 1m. I have two DAC’s in my main system and, by placing the Extreme on the bottom shelf, I will need 1.5m to reach one of them. I was just after some popular choices as a start point because, as you say, only I can decide what I like. I was initially inclined toward the Intona Ultimate because I value transparency first and foremost and don’t look for colouration from my cables. The fact that Emile likes it is a bonus and I can get a good p/ex on one of my existing cables which helps. The (major) downside is that I would have to purchase blind because I cannot find any in stock for an audition. I can get Shunyata cables though. I already have some Shunyata power, and so will give them a try for USB and see what I think. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Malcng]

Noise and mechanical coupling/decoupling are what I would call the two main areas in which we can tweak to our heart's content

Minimizing noise is indeed very important, paradoxically also in the digital domain, and this is what the Extreme is designed to address internally, whether placed low or high on a rack. There are many external aspects in this field that can be addressed if one wants to dive all the way in and this thread goes well into detail on that, but please don't worry about that just yet as this is not required to enjoy the server as intended.

I hope you get your server soon!

Indeed. I have put in a lot of effort over the last 12 years aimed primarily at reducing ‘noise’ of various type from the digital domain since it became very clear to me quite early on that it was the reason that my files/streaming could not match CD whilst, in theory, it should be able to exceed it. It has taken several years for the technology to catch on and catch up with this. Product designers are still learning and feeling their way, as witnessed by all of the experimenting and development work put in by the Taiko team as one example, but we are finally getting there and the Extreme is impressive.

 

[Kris]

This week’s shipments contains all Extremes on order in the UK so yours is on its way!

Yes I do still use the Intona Ultimate at a 1.5 meter length. It is still the most neutral cable I have heard making it a very valuable tool for me. There are many other options now which are often preferred over “dead on neutrality”, naturally personal preference comes into play here aswell, and I think there’s no such thing as a neutral system to start with. Board sponsors Sablon and FTA are popular picks for example and, imho, very reasonably priced.

Could you please mention shortly how in you opinion the other cables you pointed are different from neutrality of intona ultimate?
This might be very valuable for all of us.

 

[Blue58]

I have 3 USB cables with one particular favourite, but they are all 1m. I have two DAC’s in my main system and, by placing the Extreme on the bottom shelf, I will need 1.5m to reach one of them. I was just after some popular choices as a start point because, as you say, only I can decide what I like. I was initially inclined toward the Intona Ultimate because I value transparency first and foremost and don’t look for colouration from my cables. The fact that Emile likes it is a bonus and I can get a good p/ex on one of my existing cables which helps. The (major) downside is that I would have to purchase blind because I cannot find any in stock for an audition. I can get Shunyata cables though. I already have some Shunyata power, and so will give them a try for USB and see what I think. Thanks for the recommendation.

Hi Malcng, for what it’s worth I had the Intona Ultimate on demo and found it to be very neutral to the point of being cold, boring and uninvolving. The Sablon is, in my system, transparent, balanced, great presence and supremely musical as are all Sablon cables. I would definitely try to audition one against your other choices.

cheers
Blue58

 

[Malcng]

Hi Malcng, for what it’s worth I had the Intona Ultimate on demo and found it to be very neutral to the point of being cold, boring and uninvolving. The Sablon is, in my system, transparent, balanced, great presence and supremely musical as are all Sablon cables. I would definitely try to audition one against your other choices.

cheers
Blue58

Interesting, thank you. I have Sablon Ethernet which I found to be pretty good, so that’s another one for consideration if I can get an audition.

 

[John T]

Neutrality for evaluation gives you a more accurate reference. Tweaking, whether its isolation, or cables, or what ever will be easier to access...

 

[Sablon Audio]

As Roy says, ultimately a matter of preference and system synergy. I had both Sablon and Shunyata Omega; in my case I prefer the Omega. But only you can tell which you will prefer.

Good luck!

Steve Z

If you don’t mind me mentioning Steve, you had the original 2020 model rather than the latest Evo model. The performance delta is significant should you care to revisit.